Gonzales signs with Shaw

Will Hart/K2 Promotions Brandon Gonzales, right, who fought to a 2013 draw with Thomas Oosthuizen, has a new promoter.

Super middleweight Brandon Gonzales, who likely will face British contender James DeGale in a title elimination bout, signed with promoter Gary Shaw on Thursday.

Gonzales (18-0-1, 10 KOs), 29, of Sacramento, Calif., had previously been ordered to participate in an eliminator against Maxim Vlasov, but the fight never happened because Gonzales had other promoters claiming that he was under contract. According to Shaw, those issues have been resolved, allowing him to sign with Shaw.

His biggest fight came last June, but he fought to a draw on HBO against the favored Thomas Oosthuizen. He came back from the draw to outpoint Jonathan Nelson in November on the undercard of stablemate Andre Ward's super middleweight title defense against Edwin Rodriguez.

"I know Gary can deliver the big fight," Gonzales said. "All I want is an opportunity to accomplish my goal of becoming a word champion. I've worked my way up the rankings by winning tough fights and now I'm ranked No. 3 by the IBF. I feel the urgency to take my career to the next level and that's why I signed with Gary Shaw. Together I know we can do big things."

Shaw said getting Gonzales a major fight is a priority; he is in position to become a mandatory challenger for the winner of the May 31 rematch fight between titleholder Carl Froch and George Groves.

"Brandon Gonzales is a fighter with a lot of heart and talent and I'm happy he's part of the GSP family now," Shaw said. "He's highly ranked and a nice win will get him in position to fight for a world title. I look forward to Gonzales being in some big fights. He's a tremendous individual who I have a lot of respect for because he has come up the hard way, winning fights without the support that most contenders have on the way up."